A bumpy road for transportation

South Dakota State Roundup

How do you like your roads: bumpy and
cheap, or smooth and not so cheap?

A report this year from the South
Dakota Department of Transportation
showed that the state managed to
improve the overall condition of its
highways from 1998 to 2008, though it
fell short of its improvement goals. The
bad news is that the state is on a slippery
funding slope, with an annual shortfall
of $81 million for meeting local road
and bridge needs going forward. Other
news sources put the statewide figure at
about $90 million.

The problem: Gas tax revenue has
been flat because people are driving less
with higher gas prices and a slumping
economy, yet highway construction
costs have increased significantly. A legislative
committee has been charged
with developing a strategy for addressing
the funding gap and is due to report
in October.